tue, and commanding our esteem and love, while it draws our observation! How faint and spiritless are the charms of a coquet, when compared with the real loveliness of Sophronia's innocence, piety, good-humour and truth: virtues which add a new softness to her sex, and even beautify her beauty! Colours beautifully spread upon canvas, may entertain the eye but not affect the heart; and she who takes no care to add to the natural graces of her person any excelling qualities may be allowed still to amuse as a picture, but not to triumph as a beauty.

When Adam is introduced by Milton describing Eve in Paradise, and relating to the angel the impressions he felt upon seeing her at her first creation, he does not represent her like a Grecian Venus, by her shape or features, but by the lustre of her mind, which shone in them, and gave them their power of charming.

Grace was in all her steps, heav'n in her eye,

In all her gestures dignity and love.

. Without this irradiating power the proudest fair one ought to know, whatever her dress may tell her to the contrary, that her most perfect features are uninformed and dead,

HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

FILIAL AFFECTION.

VALERIUS MAXIMUS relates a very singular fact upon this subject. A woman of illustrious birth had been condemned to be strangled. The Roman prætor delivered her up to the triumvir, who caused her to be carried to prison, in order to her being put to death. The gaoler, who was ordered to execute her, was struck with compassion, and could not resolve to kill her. He chose therefore to let her die of hunger. Besides which, he suffered her daughter to see her in prison; taking care, however, that she brought her nothing to eat. As this continued many days, he was surprised that the prisoner lived so long without eating, and suspected the daughter; upon watching her, he discovered that she nourished her mother with her own milk. Amazed at so pious, and at the same time, so ingenious an invention, he told the fact to the triumvir, and the triumvir to the prætor, who believed the thing merited relating in the assembly of the people. The criminal was pardoned, a decree was passed that the mother and daughter should be subsisted for the rest of their lives at the expense of the public, and that a temple sacred to piety should be erected near the prison.

PLIN. HIST.

The same author gives a similar instance of filial piety in a young woman named Xantippe,

to her aged father Gimonus, who was likewise confined in prison, and which is universally known by the name of the Roman Charity. Both these instances appeared so very extraordinary and uncommon to that people, that they could only account for them, by supposing that the love of children to their parents was the first law of nature.

MATERNAL AFFECTION.

THERE are no ties in nature to compare with those which unite an affectionate mother to her children, when they repay her tenderness with obedience and love.

Cornelia the illustrious mother of the Gracchi, after the death of her husband, who left her twelve children, applied herself to the care of her family with a wisdom and prudence that acquired her universal esteem. Only three out of the twelve lived to years of maturity, one daughter and two sons, whom she brought up with so much care, that, though they were born with the most happy geniuses and dispositions, it was thought they were more indebted to education than nature.The answer she gave to a lady of her acquaintance concerning them, is worthy of remark, and includes in it instructions which deserve the attention of every affectionate mother and daughter.

The lady, who was very rich, and still fonder of pomp and show, after having displayed in a visit she made her, her diamonds, pearls and richest jewels, earnestly desired Cornelia to let her see her jewels also. Cornelia dexterously turned the conversation to another subject, till her children were returned from school. When they en

tered their mother's apartment, she said to the lady her companion, pointing to them with her hand, "these are my jewels and the only ornaments I admire." And such ornaments, which are the strength and support of society, add a brighter lustre to the fair, than all the jewels of the east.

CONJUGAL AFFECTION

EXEMPLIFIED IN THE STORY OF CYRUS, KING OF PERSIA.

OF all the pleasures which endear human life, there are none more worthy the attention of a rational creature, than those that flow from the mutual return of conjugal love.

When two minds are thus engaged by the ties of reciprocal affection, each alternately receives and communicates a transport, inconceivable to all but those who are in this situation: whence arises that heart-ennobling solicitude, for one another's welfare; that tender sympathy, which alleviates affliction; and that participated pleasure, which heightens prosperity and joy itself.

The following is a beautiful instance of this exalted passion.

Cyrus, king of Persia, had taken captive the young prince of Armenia, together with his beautiful and blooming princess, whom he had lately married, and of whom he was passionately fond. When they, along with other prisoners, were brought before the tribunal, Cyrus asked the prince, "What he would give to be reinstated in his kingdom?" He answered with an air of in

difference, "That as for his crown, and his own liberty, he valued them at a very low rate: but if Cyrus would restore his beloved princess to her native dignity, and hereditary possessions, he should infinitely rejoice, and would pay," this he uttered with tenderness and ardour, "would willingly pay his life for the purchase."

When all the prisoners were dismissed with freedom, it is impossible to express how much they were charmed with their royal benefactor. Some celebrated his martial abilities, some applauded his social virtues; all were prodigal of their praises, and lavish in grateful acknowledgments. "And you," said the prince, addressing himself to his bride; "What think you of Cyrus?" "I did not observe him," said the princess. "Not observe him! Upon what then was your attention fixed?"-"Upon that dear and generous man, who declared, that he would purchase my liberty at the expense of his own life."

THE WOMEN OF HENSBERG.

WHEN the emperor Conrad III. had beseiged Gullphus, duke of Bavaria, in the city of Hensberg, the women finding that the town could not possibly hold out, petitioned the emperor, that they might depart out of it with as much as each of them could carry. The emperor knowing they could not take away any great quantity of their effects, granted their petition; when the women, to his great surprise, came out of the place, each of them with their husband upon her back. The emperor was so moved at the sight, that he burst into tears, and after having much extolled the

H